Ric Best in Mérida
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Ric Best talks about how Mérida has influenced his latest works in more ways than one

By Trey Speegle For years, Ric Best never really needed a physical art studio, as he did work strictly in the digital realm.  With space at a premium, Best says, “It was easier than painting while I was in New York City.” Four years ago, one of the main attractions in moving to Mérida was…

Samantha Michell: Capturing memories and movement
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Samantha Michell: Capturing memories and movement

Born in Chicago to a Colombian mother and a Mexican father, a transitory lifestyle marked Samantha Michell’s early years, spending time between the United States and Mexico. However, her heart has always been firmly rooted in Mérida. “I spent 18 years living here, going back and forth,” she recalls. “I’ve technically been here more than…

Mérida Author Explores Small-Town Life and Alien Encounters
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Mérida Author Explores Small-Town Life and Alien Encounters

Mérida Innkeeper Dave O. Dodge is embarking on a New England book tour to celebrate his two biographical novels set in that region.  Dodge, originally from New Hampshire, has lived in Mérida for the past decade. He and his husband run the Ochenta y Dos bed and breakfast. As they celebrate the start of their…

Ariz. Student Receives Journalism Award for Shedding Light on HIV in Yucatán
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Ariz. Student Receives Journalism Award for Shedding Light on HIV in Yucatán

Jair Avalos López, a student at Arizona State University, received the National Health Journalism Award, highlighting the importance of improving the health system and strengthening HIV care in Yucatán and throughout the country.  Yucatán has had one of Mexico’s highest HIV rates. Since 1983, 12,000 cases have been reported. The true number is generally believed to…

Consul General Dorothy Ngutter Bids a Warm Farewell to Yucatán
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Consul General Dorothy Ngutter Bids a Warm Farewell to Yucatán

The time has come for Consul General Dorothy Ngutter to move on to her next assignment. It’s been a quick but productive three years since the well-loved diplomat arrived during the pandemic crisis.  “This has been a unique assignment,” Ngutter told La Jornada Maya. “The opportunity to lead this team and represent my country here…

Lorraine Toohey Followed an Artist’s Path to a Vibrant Community
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Lorraine Toohey Followed an Artist’s Path to a Vibrant Community

As a young artist, Lorraine Toohey embarked on an unconventional journey that eventually led her to Mérida, a stark contrast to her hometown of Edmonton.  After graduating with a BFA and an art education degree, she was drawn to Vancouver’s artistic energy. “At the time, the Conservative government was cutting back on arts education. There…

Reclaiming X’Tabay: A Conversation with Artists Juana Alicia and Tirso González Araiza
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Reclaiming X’Tabay: A Conversation with Artists Juana Alicia and Tirso González Araiza

In the heart of the Yucatán Peninsula, a captivating artistic collaboration challenges conventional narratives and redefines the essence of a Maya legend. Muralist Juana Alicia and writer Tirso González Araiza have joined forces to present “La X’Tabay. El libro de los libros” (“The X’Tabay. The Book of Books”), an exhibition on view at the Palacio…

Being an Expat in Yucatán: Here Are the Basics
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Being an Expat in Yucatán: Here Are the Basics

Merida, Yucatan, is a city of around a million people, with expats living mainly in the 3.5-square-mile Centro Histórico, a series of neighborhoods near the Plaza Grande, or main square where the government and cathedral preside. Just how many? There is no official count, but certainly, expats here number in the thousands. More recently, younger…

Joey Arias: A NYC legend takes the stage in Mérida
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Joey Arias: A NYC legend takes the stage in Mérida

A bona fide fixture of New York City’s vibrant downtown performance scene for 30-plus years, Joey Arias is bringing his cabaret show to Mérida. His one-night-only performance is at El Remate, which has a new chef and menu. Growing up outside of New York, I remember Arias as a major provocateur and trailblazer for drag…

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